As a member of several beauty communities, I’ve noticed the different stages in a person’s dedication to beauty. It begins with a casual interest in cute products, followed by a more serious commitment like building a collection, and succeeded by being more aware of things like the ingredients that go into the products. If you’re part of the latter group, you might even find yourself questioning if all those other ingredients absolutely have to be in there.

Finding my first mentor was life-changing. She contributed so much to whatever success I have now, because for the first time, someone was able to show me that it was possible to have a different life than what my parents and school initially taught me. Because of that person, I saw a path to being an entrepreneur! I was a freelance marketing consultant for her business, but eventually, I began to understand that I could be more - with a little bit of guidance.

Mentors are people whom you look up to for advice, wisdom, and opportunities. They are role models that you seek for guidance; ideally, you have a long-term relationship with them where they share their method to success. They can be massively influential to your personal and professional growth. But here comes the daunting task: how do you find a mentor?

Talk about a crazy variety of beauty news! This week’s roundup will give you the low down on a major product recall by Benefit Cosmetics, MAC’s super cute new releases, a not-so-Ordinary waitlist, and (gasp) a possible brand comeback! Christmas is less than two months away and everything you need to know beauty-wise is right here. And did we mention that Kim K is coming out with concealers? Have a read!

The first time I got to try Ellana was through winning a contest sometime in 2008 or 2009. I joined the giveaway of a now defunct beauty blog called Kikay Exchange and won a few pots of this proudly local mineral makeup brand. I was still in college then so I didn't have enough money to buy a lot of makeup; Project Vanity was very young, and I was obsessed about finding new products to try and review. And so this is how my love affair with Ellana started. 

Celebrity makeup lines are all the rage these days. From Fenty Beauty by Rihanna to blk Cosmetics by Anne Curtis, stars are acting on the fact that they can wield their influence to grow their own business empires. The latest star to launch a beauty collection is Vice Ganda. Known for his roles as actor, comedian, and TV host, Jose Marie Viceral can now add "beauty entrepreneur" to his list of accomplishments. Officially introduced to the public through a jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum, Vice Cosmetics stays true to Vice Ganda’s unkabogable style with the Vice Cosmetics Ganda For All Concert: The Phenomenal Launch.

Are you ready to get all dolled up for the slew of parties and reunions you scheduled this season? Extra special touches to our hair, makeup, and clothes get us in the right mood to party, plus knowing that we look fab helps us brush off those rude "tumaba ka" comments that people make. If only we could all dress like Barbie, right? Well, thanks to Plains & Prints, now we can!

I consider myself to be a foundation fiend. As a girl with very oily skin and crazy work hours, only the most long-wearing of foundations stand a chance of making it through my typical day. I don’t feel that I need full coverage but I've found that the two qualities - long wear and opacity - usually go hand-in-hand.

Makeup artists know it's a long, tough road to success. Building a stellar reputation, a loyal client base, and a signature technique is only possible after years of training and service. So what does it take, really, to start from scratch as a pro MUA? We sat down with celebrity makeup artist and PV girl-crush, Anthea Bueno, to pick her mind about her life, her career, and some surprising beauty advice. Known for her complexion work and striking editorial looks, Anthea counts among her clients stars like Iza Calzado, Sarah Lahbati, Kelsey Merritt, Leila Alcasid, Janine Gutierrez and Ylona Garcia. Let's hear her story!

Hello from Tokyo! It's about 9:45 AM and I can't wait to start eating at Tsukiji Market. It's my favorite place in my favorite city, because the sushi is amazing and the snacks are perfect. Anyway, before I leave, I thought I'd write a quick review on a pretty popular complexion powder: the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette (P3,900 at Sephora.ph).

Hi, my name is Den and I am a skincare addict. I'm seriously (unhealthily?) obsessed with getting my skin to its absolute best condition. Not gonna lie - as managing editor of Project Vanity I do get to try pricier skincare brands that make the cost worth it, but it isn't a practical option for other people. I was honestly very excited to try the new Collagen by Watsons line because I'd love to be able to share more budget-friendly recos. And I'm happy to say that for the most part, these picks did not disappoint!

There are a few stops that I must visit with every trip to the mall. First, my usual beauty haunts – Beauty Bar, Rustan’s The Beauty Source, and SM Beauty. Second, whichever food place tickles my fancy because you need the energy to walk around and window shop. And third, Scribe Writing Essentials, which is now known as simply as Scribe.

When I received the Ikoo Brush to test, I was so impressed by the gorgeous tin packaging and smooth contours of the brush itself. It's probably the coolest hair brush I've ever seen in my life! When I brushed my hair with it though, I found the bristles scratchy compared to my Wet Brush. "James, do you want a new hair brush?" I asked my partner. He shrugged and started brushing his hair with it. And kept on brushing. On and on. 

Do you have your Halloween costume and makeup ready, PV girls? As fun as the spooky holiday is, we can’t help but be more excited for what the beauty world has in store for us in the coming weeks. From a fabulous MEGA PALETTE to Gigi Hadid’s makeup line hitting the PH (this is not a drill!) there’s loads to celebrate aside from an excuse to dress up and eat lots of candy. So sit back, relax, and load up on all things beauty because this week’s roundup is FESTIVELY FAB!

While I might have dabbled in lip tints when I first started getting into makeup, I've built my lip color collection around the traditional bullet lipstick. I don’t have anything against tints (or glosses, stains, and liquid lipsticks, for that matter), and I do see the appeal of getting a pop of color from a more lightweight (and supposedly longer-wearing) medium. I just feel that bullet perform better! 

Still, when I was assigned to test local lip tint brands, I was very curious if any of them would be my new go-to favorite. I wasn't able to get hold of the famous KJM stains but we've done a review on those before. I decided to try six other brands instead! Did they manage to change my mind? Read on to find out!

I can be a little - okay maybe more than a little - judgy at times. When I received the new Ever Bilena Liquid Lipsticks (P185 in stores) I immediately had low expectations. It's not because of the brand. Ever Bilena has proven itself as a drugstore name to beat this year in terms of quality, but I did not expect much because the colors look pretty dark in the tube. Dark colors in liquid lipstick form tend to be streaky and sad. Not these Ever Bilena ones, though!

People say it’s all about the little things…and that’s exactly how I feel about mini makeup! I mean, regular-sized products are great and all, but sometimes it can get a little challenging to bring them around when you’re on the go. Minis make it easy to maximize the precious space in your bag. They can also help you make a smart purchase, as you can use these to test out and decide whether or not you actually need (or just want) the full-sized version of the product. Lastly, with the holidays coming up, you can use these as stocking stuffers or just small and simple gifts for your friends! There are actually so many ways to get a hold of them but if you've been missing out, here's where to find them!

Fine lines, sun damage, and clogged pores? These are just a few of the skin problems I find staring back at me daily. There's a maudlin irony in how worrying about stressed, tired-looking skin adds to the problem! Thankfully, Kiehl’s just launched their newest product that aims to address all these and more – the Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream (P3,650 for 50ml).

I've since took note of how different shampoos affect my scalp and hair, and was shocked to discover that certain variants would actually cause breakouts near my hairline. I knew that certain skincare ingredients should be avoided, and a quick look at the ingredients list of shampoos I used revealed they all had one thing in common: sulfates.